South Loop Kids

So, the new computer finally got here and I can at last get back to catching up here. I’ve gone through nearly all of the pictures – somewhere around 1500 or so – and man, what a difference the new computer makes in photo processing! I love it. I’ve posted a few on flickr and given a bunch that had important data in them to Mary Hennen. Now, I have to find all of the little scraps of papers and notes I’ve stuffed in my desk at work, in my bag, in my pockets, etc… and catch you poor readers up with what’s been going on. So, check back. I’ll be backposting to get things up to date.

I do want to pause to say that my main man, Sean, had his 40th birthday this past weekend. In fact, we celebrated the event in Door County with his family, so we were away from it all for 5 whole days. Even though the away time was right in the middle of peregrine season, which made me feel really, REALLY guilty, we had a great time.

So, Sean, my handsome man, happy birthday! I can’t wait to spend your next 40 years and beyond with you.

So, lots of catch up to do, but I’ll work on it. I wanted to post really quick to say that I’m still here and working like mad to help peregrine babies do their thang, along with helping insects get studied and a number of other museum duties.

I did want to mention that I was just watching the South Loop webcam. One of the adults was up on the roof feeding the kids. I only saw two, so that could mean that the third has fledged and is on another roof in the area. If anyone reading sees one on the ground, give us a call!

Anyway, after the kids fed, one of them laid down on the ledge for a snooze. It struck me that to people not used to seeing a raptor, or really any bird, do that, the position might be alarming. Don’t be alarmed! This is a really common posture for these guys. A researcher in Iowa took this really wonderful picture of a juvenile peregrine taking a breather. I wanted to put the link in here in case anyone was worried.

Related

IN CASE OF EMERGENCY

If you find a peregrine on the ground, Mary Hennen has put up some information along with emergency contact numbers for the Chicago region on the FIELD MUSEUM'S PEREGRINE FALCON PAGE

For those of you not from the Chicago region, the information on what to do when you find a downed peregrine is still valuable, even if the numbers are not. It is highly probable your own area has monitors. My suggestion would be to try wildlife rescue organizations or rehabbers, Animal Control and/or any zoo or natural history museum type place in the area.